Service Use and Perceived Need among an Aboriginal Population in Western Australia.

Unlabelled: Limited information is available about dental service use, perceived need and perceived oral health status among Aboriginal populations in Western Australia. This study collected information from a convenience sample of people attending the opening ceremony of the 2014 National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee celebrations in Perth, Western Australia.

Methods: People who visited the Dental Health Services display stall at the event completed a questionnaire on dental service use, perceived need and self-rated oral health domains.

Results: Participants provided 145 usable questionnaires; 75% of the sample identified themselves as Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander of whom 45% had a dental visit less than 12 months ago; 33% had a check-up visit and 25% rated their oral health as fair or poor.

Conclusions: More Aboriginal respondents reported lower frequency of service use and asymptomatic visiting compared with non-Aboriginal respondents.